You don't get to authorize US interventions, congressman tells Venezuela’s Guaido

Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido can go ahead and “proclaim” himself the interim president but does not “get to authorize US military interventions,” says an American congressman from California.

“Mr. Guaido, you can proclaim yourself leader of Venezuela but you don’t get to authorize US military interventions. Only the US Congress can do that. We will not,” Democratic Representative Ro Khanna said in a tweet on Saturday.

The member of the House Armed Services Committee made the comments after Guaido said he would do “everything that is necessary ... to save human lives,” calling US intervention “a very controversial subject."

“The armed forces have a huge dilemma, whether or not to accept the aid. It would be almost miserable at this point of huge necessity not to accept it,” Guaido claimed. “Inhibiting the entry of this aid could be seen as a crime against humanity.”

Khanna, who promotes “restraint in foreign policy,” lashed out at the Trump administration for rushing to recognize Guaido as Venezuela’s interim president last month.

“The United States should not anoint the leader of the opposition in Venezuela during an internal, divided conflict," Khanna said in a statement last month. "There is no doubt the Maduro’s economic policies have been terrible, and he has engaged in financial mismanagement and also political authoritarianism. But crippling sanctions and threats of military action are making life worse for ordinary Venezuelans."

Russia, China and Iran are among the main countries that support President Nicolás Maduro against what he has described as a US-backed “coup.”

Guaido, who is the head of Venezuela's national assembly, has garnered support from most of the European powers as well as countries in Latin America.